This invention relates to certain tricyclicdicarboximides which representatively are characterized in that they are the Diels-Alder condensation products of a cyclic diene and an N-substituted maleimide. Such tricyclicdicarboximides (Structure I, below) and their pharmaceutically acceptable salt, ester and amide derivatives are useful as minor tranquilizing and anti-convulsant agents. This invention also relates to processes for the preparation of such tricyclicdicarboximides, to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, and to methods of treatment comprising administering such compounds and compositions.
Structure I, below generically depicts the compounds of the present invention which are hereinafter collectively referred to as "tricyclicdicarboximides": ##STR1## wherein: R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, aminoalkyl, carboxyalkyl, aralkyl, cycloalkyl, haloalkyl, acyloxy, alkenyl, and dialkylaminoalkyl;
X is --CH.sub.2 -- (in which case the cyclic diene reactant necessary for the preparation of I is a bond isomer of cycloheptatriene or a substituted derivative thereof), or --CH=CH-- (in which case the cyclic diene reactant necessary for the preparation of I is a bond isomer of cyclooctatetraene or a substituted derivative thereof); PA0 R is selected from the group consisting of: EQU --CH.sub.2 C=CH ##STR2## wherein Y is hydrogen, halogen, lower alkyl, aminoalkyl, carboxyalkyl, alkoxy, carbalkoxy, carbamoyl and haloalkyl; and R.sup.5 is acylamino, and amino.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide tricyclicdicarboximides of the above general description (I). It is also an object of this invention to provide pharmaceutical compositions comprising such tricyclicdicarboximides and their non-toxic, pharmaceutically acceptable salt, ester and amide derivatives. Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide methods of treatment comprising administering the compounds and compositions of the present invention in situations where a minor tranquilizer is indicated.